Help middle and high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering “The Wonderful Musician” by the Brothers Grimm. The brevity of the narrative, coupled with the learning objectives of the activity, helps teachers fill awkward gaps in the teaching schedule without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including simile and foreshadowing Consider themes in context Articulate the irony associated with the narrative’s title Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss works of fiction

Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and develop critical thinking and craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering a classic Grimm’s fairy tale titled “The Singing, Springing Lark.” An answer key and copy of the short story are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly as well as implicitly Consult reference materials in order to learn or verify word meanings Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare and contrast characters Apply knowledge of literary devices including alliteration, foreshadowing, hubris, hyperbole, metaphor, oxymoron, personification, simile, situational irony, symbolism, and more Consider a relevant theme in context Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss literature

Help high school students extend beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of close reading analysis skills with this set of rigorous, text-dependent questions on the science fiction short story “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Verify interpretations of language using reference materials as needed Infer the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including dramatic irony, metaphor, and personification Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss literature

Help middle and high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering the short story “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques Discern the function of a particular paragraph Describe the tone of a particular excerpt Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop List several similarities between Doodle and the scarlet ibis Conduct brief research to make sense of setting and an allusion Apply knowledge of various literary devices including oxymoron, idiom, personification, dramatic irony, hubris, and more Explore the traditional symbolism associated with rain in order to make sense of the phrase “heresy of rain” as it is used in the story Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss literature

Help high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering Morley Callaghan’s “All the Years of Her Life,” a short story focusing on how a young son’s behavior influences the psychological state of his loving mother. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states both explicitly and implicitly Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques Determine the point of view of the narrative Discern the tone of a particular passage Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare and contrast characters Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony and epiphany Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Help middle and high school students go beyond general reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking skills with this close reading analysis worksheet covering a classic Grimm’s fairy tale titled “The Frog King” (also called “Iron Heinrich” and “Iron Henry”). An answer key and copy of the public domain short story are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will do the following: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques Determine the narrative’s inciting incident Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices including hyperbole, onomatopoeia, personification, dramatic irony, and situational irony Consider themes in context Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss literature

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering the short story “The Imp of the Perverse” by Edgar Allan Poe, a piece of horror and psychological fiction that explores the impulse to do wrong for wrong’s sake alone. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative, which is especially fitting for the Halloween season, are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with this close reading activity, students will: Consult reference materials as needed to verify word meanings Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Infer the intended effects of the author’s stylistic choices and narrative techniques Discern the tone of a given paragraph Determine the function of a given paragraph Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on situational irony Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence Write about fiction with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss literature

Go beyond reading comprehension with this set of analysis questions for Feed by M.T. Anderson, a dystopian science fiction novel. Covering four brief, meaningful excerpts spanning chapters thirty-eight through fifty-eight, this resource supports the development of high school close reading skills and facilitates preparation for standardized testing scenarios. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in both Word Document and PDF formats. This resource may serve as the basis for small-group discussions in which students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will improve their ability to present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly and convincingly. By completing these exercises, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Isolate an example of figurative language Express the greater significance of a given detail Explore how complex characters think, behave, develop, and interact Articulate the flaw in a character’s logic Analyze the author’s use of narrative techniques such as repetition Apply knowledge of various literary devices including pun, metaphor, idiom, aposiopesis, neologism, and more Explore the connection between capitalism and the private healthcare system in America Cite textual evidence in support of ideas and claims Write about literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision

With this literature circle resource for To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, high school English teachers may facilitate active participation in small-group discussions of complex literature. Included are the following: a handout outlining each role; a documentation log for each role; and a standards-based rubric for efficiently evaluating student work. Materials are delivered in printable Word Document and PDF formats. By engaging in these literature circle activities, students will do the following: Articulate key details from the story Generate open-ended questions related to the novel in order to carry out meaningful discussions with peers Respond thoughtfully to open-ended questions and others’ contributions to the discussion Document ways in which the novel is consistent with aspects of American and/or world history Locate specific passages and/or quotations that relate to major themes and concepts—especially those relating to economic struggles, coming of age, and the pursuit of justice and fairness Artistically convey important information from the assigned reading Write ideas with clarity, accuracy, and precision

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the second iteration of Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the science fiction novel. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: The location of an archeological dig Ellie Sattler’s specialty Bob Morris’s job Bob Morris’s beliefs Grant and Sattler’s surprising acquisitions Donald Gennaro’s job The classification of an unearthed dinosaur skeleton The unusual characteristics of Hammond’s elephant BioSyn’s intentions Ian Malcolm’s profession Ian Malcolm’s theories The collective reaction to a dinosaur sighting

Promote homework accountability and measure general reading comprehension with this printable assessment covering the seventh iteration and epilogue of Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (chapters 52 through 58). Delivered in Word Document and PDF formats, this quiz features questions about characters, setting, and plot. It serves well as a post-reading check of understanding or a guided reading worksheet to be completed as students navigate the text. An answer key is provided. By completing this assessment, students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Malcolm’s belief in the persistence of life in some form Hammond’s curiosities Grant’s inference based on the automated dinosaur counting system The fate of the raptors The significance of frog DNA Malcolm’s fate Hammond’s assessment of his employees Hammond’s reaction to a military assault of the island Grant’s epiphany concerning the raptors’ behavior Grant’s meeting with Guitierrez

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the fifth iteration of Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the science fiction novel. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: The purpose of antivenin Nedry’s body Conflict between Muldoon and Arnold The temperament of dinosaurs in the aviary Grant’s conversations with the children The variety of threats to the lives Grant and the children How the lives of Grant and the kids are saved How the kids are separated from Grant Grant’s relieving discovery A raptor attack An epiphany concerning the power system Malcolm’s commentary on scientific advancements And more

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the fourth iteration of Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the science fiction novel. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Ed Regis’s fearful reaction to the Tyrannosaurus Ian Malcolm’s injury Grant’s discovery pertaining to the Tyrannosaurus’s eyesight The fate of Dennis Nedry Henry Wu’s concern for Hammond Why Harding and Sattler follow a group of small dinosaurs Dr. Wu’s discovery about dinosaurs created with frog DNA Ed Regis’s fate The reason Muldoon and Gennaro halt their search for Grant and the kids Harding’s forceful criticism of Hammond Problems with technology Grant and the kids’ mode of transportation How the kids endanger their own lives And more

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering the sixth iteration of Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. The assessment may double as a guided reading worksheet to facilitate active engagement with the science fiction novel. An answer key is included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: Efforts to start up the generator Raptors’ freaky physical capabilities Resources used to distract the raptors The location of a trapped raptor Efforts to restore the main power Malcolm’s accusations toward Hammond How Grant kills three raptors Efforts to convince a ship to return to the island

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering a meaningful excerpt from chapter 21 of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Consult reference materials as needed to learn or verify word meanings Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques Determine the function of the given excerpt Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Compare the content of Perry’s most recent letter to Kenny to his previous letters Apply knowledge of literary devices Choose relevant textual evidence in support of a claim Write about complex literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss literature

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering a meaningful excerpt from chapter 2 of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Consult reference materials as needed to learn or verify word meanings Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques Explore how knowledge of the Vietnam War’s outcome emotionally influences the reader Describe tone in context Examine how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Isolate an example of figurative language Conduct brief research to identify parallels between the narrator and the author James Baldwin Decide what the primary function of the excerpt is Write about complex literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss literature

Help high school students go beyond basic reading comprehension and support the development of critical thinking and literary craft analysis skills with this close reading worksheet covering two meaningful excerpts from chapter 5 of Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By completing this close reading activity, students will: Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly Consult reference materials as needed to learn or verify word meanings Discern the intended effects of the author’s word choices and narrative techniques Evaluate the positive and negative aspects of a particular situation Explore how complex characters think, behave, interact, and develop Apply knowledge of literary devices with emphasis on dramatic irony, personification, and simile Write about complex literature with clarity, accuracy, and precision Come to class better prepared to discuss literature

Evaluate general reading comprehension and eliminate assessment planning responsibilities with this plot-based quiz covering “The Lurking Fear” by H.P. Lovecraft, a short story with elements of horror and supernatural fiction: ghosts, unsolved murders, secret investigations, and bizarre creatures. The assessment may double as a guided reading handout to facilitate engagement with the text. An answer key and copy of the public domain narrative are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the following: General description of the narrator Setting A gruesome inciting incident Preparations for an emergency escape Secondary characters and their fates Natural disasters that transpire The distinguishing physical characteristic of an antagonist The narrator’s peculiar observations Complications facing the narrator A new demonic attack A physical description of monstrous beings The beings’ horrifying behavior The resolution

Support vocabulary development and enhance reading comprehension with this set of games and activities to complement the classic Grimm’s fairy tale “The Girl Without Hands,” also known as “The Maiden Without Hands” and “The Armless Maiden.” Themes addressed include the power of faith and the resilience of the human spirit. A crossword puzzle, a word search activity, a vocabulary application worksheet, the public domain short story, and answer keys are provided. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. By engaging with these activities, students will determine the meaning of unfamiliar and complex words, consult reference materials in order to learn and verify word meanings, and discern the most proper application of words as they are used in sentences. Specifically, the following vocabulary terms are addressed: acquire arresting balefully changeling earnestly elation grandeur harrowing incredulous indigent iniquitous laden lethargic pious pulchritudinous raiment respite specter toothsome woeful